Mother’s Day is this Sunday, so we’re celebrating the working mothers at LaSalle. We asked them to each share their thoughts about motherhood, and they shared some wisdom for other working moms!
Maureen Hoersten, Chief Revenue Officer
Tenure: 12 years
Do what makes you and your family happy, don’t worry what other people think.
Krisi Rossi O’Donnell, VP of Staffing and Recruiting
Tenure: 10 years
Simplify your life. Plan your day the day before giving you an agenda to get through the most important things. Have a calendar that encompasses both your work and personal schedule to avoid any conflicts. I plan my meals on Sunday so that during the week my husband and I don’t have to think about what we’re having or what roles we play in preparing dinners. Pay for things you are “able” to do yourself, but will give you time with your family, i.e. pay someone to mow the lawn, have groceries delivered, etc
Jayme Schrieffer, Manager of Major Accounts
Tenure: 13 years
Set calendar reminders. I put everything in my calendar so I don’t forget an event at school, a doctor’s appointment, snack day, music class, whatever it may be. You have to plan your week on Sunday and communicate well with those in your life that help you, like your partner, nanny/daycare provider, and employer. Knowing the kids are taken care of when I can’t be there helps me feel a little more balanced.
Time spent with your children is about quality, not quantity. As a working mom, I definitely have guilt that I am not around all the time. But if I can do bath time, story time or just snuggle with my kids before they go to bed and talk about the day, that makes me feel like I am not completely missing out on time spent with them.
Rian Powell, Unit Manager, Accounting & Finance
Tenure: 4 years
I’m still on maternity leave… but the constant contact I’ve had with my boss, my team, and senior leadership has been amazing! I feel connected and excited to return. You don’t have to be in a bubble on maternity leave!
Have a plan and communicate your plan. Going back to work and getting things ready for your baby is hard and emotional. Talking things through with my boss (who is also a mother) helps reassure me that I can do it all! Use other mothers as sounding boards…they know your job and its pressures, and they have done it already!
Andrea Cipolla, Senior Recruiter
Tenure: 8 years
I have to say that I love my balance as a recruiter and a mom. I thoroughly enjoy both my career and my time with Jacob & Aubrey! I have an amazing balance not offered by every employer, so I’m extremely grateful to LaSalle Network who has given me the flexibility to work part-time and also focus on being there for my kids.
Motherhood has taught me to prioritize, stay organized, and execute in both areas. Some of the domestic tasks fall on my husband when I am at work, like picking up the kids from school and feeding them dinner (he has become an amazing cook, which is also terrific). Having a very supportive partner is key to my success in raising a family and having a career which I love.
Leighan Pomykala, Senior Project Manager
Tenure: 4 years
Don’t feel guilty. Whether you are a stay at home mom or a mom that works, feel proud of how you provide for your children and family.
Build a community around you at work. Being able to connect with other working mothers (or fathers) makes you feel supported and understood.
Jennifer Barton, Staff Accountant
Tenure: 3 years
I try to spend any and all free time with my son, Ryan. Since I work during the week, nights and weekends are my time to spend with him.
Stay in touch during the day when you can. A call or a quick picture can really help. You see they are happy and you will be more content throughout your day. Our care takers send me pictures throughout the day so I can see Ryan.
Becky Hogan, Internal Recruiter
Tenure: 3 years
Before I went back to work I was worried I wouldn’t have enough time with my son, that he wouldn’t know who I was. I quickly learned that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
It’s more about the quality time spent together. You have to enjoy those few minutes you have in the morning rush and the couple of hours at night, and make sure to really soak in every second you have together on the weekend. Seeing that smiling face when I pick him up after work is priceless… I’m so happy to see him and he’s so happy to see me!
Nicolette Martin, Internal Recruiter
Tenure: 1 year
More mothers now than ever are in the workforce. But, it is not always easy! Balancing work and motherhood can be chaotic. It requires you to be efficient in both worlds and focus on daily priorities and choices.
A full-time job coupled with the joy of motherhood definitely has ups and downs, but in the end it is 100% worth it!
Jennifer Delp, Quality Control Manager
Tenure: 6 years
I’ve found it’s okay to love what you do for a living and throw yourself into your work, while still balancing your other priorities. Your career can fulfill you in a way that keeps you motivated and “fresh” for your family.
I find especially now that I am a mom of two boys that I use a lot of the skills I learned in my career to keep having successful days. The ability to constantly reprioritize and have a good sense of humor has become essential.
One technique I use for reprioritizing is making lists. I am an excellent list maker. I make lists for everything, from what I need from the store, what I need to pack when we go out of town, to what I need to accomplish in a day or a week. Lists also help me stay organized and keep me on track, because let’s be honest two little boys are good at distractions!
My eyes are always bigger than my tummy: I always want to accomplish more than I realistically can, so I have had to learn how to set limits and accept that there are days (and sometimes weeks) when I don’t get the things accomplished that I wanted. When that happens I make sure to focus on those precious moments I had with my boys that day. I know these days will not last forever.
Time management is also important and one of the keys for me is to live by the adage “just one more thing.” This means that when I decide my day is done, I complete just one more thing. It might be a basket of laundry or report for work, but it allows me to feel a sense of completion before going to bed.
Balancing work and your personal life, whether it’s kids or something else, is a challenge we all face. I am truly blessed to not only have the support of my husband, family and friends, but to also have the support of my work family. I work for a company that supports their employees both personally and professionally. In my case, that allows for a flexible work schedule, giving me the ability to enjoy those sweetest moments with my boys and to share my flexibility with work for any last minute needs they may have.
